During the 20th century, in parallel to the development of biodynamics, conventional agriculture focussed its efforts mainly on quantity and mass production, so that farms became ever larger and increasingly specialised. Agriculture should be capable of feeding the world, but the problem of hunger has still not been resolved – in fact quite the opposite. The focus on yield has led to a neglect of quality, which manifests not least in the rapid rise in nutritionally related illnesses. Since the start of the 21st century the call for quality has therefore grown ever louder. In their search for quality, more and more people are now becoming interested in organic and biodynamic agriculture, systems that are becoming increasingly well known due to the quality of their products and their environmental and climate-friendly approach. Biodynamic agriculture has entered a new developmental phase. In various countries biodynamic products have arisen from what is referred to as the "eco movement", because rising demand means that increasing numbers of large and specialised farms are converting to organic. This situation puts the spotlight more firmly on the question of the relationship between quality and quantity.
- Does growth in quantity necessarily lead to a reduction in quality?
- Or, how can biodynamic agriculture succeed in feeding people?
- How can the balance between quality and quantity be maintained and how can we establish a healthy relationship between the two?